Roadshow raises awareness of dementia

A COMMUNITY roadshow will be in Leicester next week, helping people to find out more about dementia.

The roadshow, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, will visit Humberstone Gate in the city centre on Friday 18th March. It runs from 10am until 4pm.

Local support workers will be on hand to answer questions and provide advice about dementia, which is estimated to affect about 3,000 over-65s in Leicester.

There will also be the chance to find out more about dementia research, and to join a campaign run by the National Institute for Health Research to encourage more people to get involved in finding a cure.

Deputy city mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, who is responsible for adult social care, said: “In Leicester, we forecast that the number of older people with dementia will increase to about 4,500 by 2030. This roadshow is a good way of raising awareness.

“Early diagnosis is the key to providing appropriate care, so we want to make sure as many people as possible know what to look out for and how they can best help someone with dementia.”

He added: “The city council has a dementia action plan to help encourage early diagnosis and provide support for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

“As part of this plan, we’re committed to making Leicester a dementia-friendly city, so I’m proud to be one of the 500 council employees we’re training as ‘Dementia Friends’, to work towards this commitment.”

Diane Smith, regional operations manager for the Alzheimer’s Society in the East Midlands, said:“Dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges of our generation, yet it continues to be a condition blighted with stigma and a lack of understanding. This can mean that people who are worried about dementia in some way, or simply want to find out more, might not know where to turn.

“The dementia community roadshow is the perfect way to get that information and support out to the people who need it.”